Lower alkane conversion

ABSTRACT

A method for converting a feedstock alkane containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms to a higher molecular weight hydrocarbon comprising contacting a feedstock with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a catalytic composition is disclosed. The catalytic composition includes a Group IA metal, a Group IIA metal and a third component, the precursor of which is a sol such as an aqueous suspension of a metal such as aluminum, silicon, titanium, zinc, zirconium, cadmium or tin with which the other components of the composition are thoroughly dispersed.

This is a division, of application Ser. No.295,502, filed Jan. 11, 1989.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to the utilization of lower alkanes and the synthesis of hydrocarbons therefrom and, more specifically, to conversion of a low molecular weight alkane, such as methane, to a higher molecular weight hydrocarbon.

As the uncertain nature of ready supplies and access to crude oil has become increasingly apparent, alternative sources of hydrocarbons and fuel have been sought out and explored. The conversion of low molecular weight alkanes (lower alkanes) to higher molecular weight hydrocarbons has received increasing consideration as such low molecular weight alkanes are generally available from readily secured and reliable resources. Natural gas, partially as a result of its comparative abundance, has received a large measure of the attention focused on sources of low molecular weight alkanes. In addition, low molecular weight alkanes are generally present in coal deposits and may be formed during numerous mining operations, in various petroleum processes, and in the above- or below-ground gasification or liquefaction of coal, tar sands, oil shale and biomass, for example. Generally, however, much of the readily accessible natural gas has a high valued use as a fuel whether in residential, commercial or industrial applications.

Additional major natural gas resources, however, are prevalent in many remote portions of the world such as remote areas of Western Canada, Australia, U.S.S.R. and Asia. Commonly, natural gas from these types of resources is referred to as "remote gas". Of course accessibility is a major obstacle to effective and extensive use of remote gas. Consequently, methods for converting low molecular weight alkanes, such as those present in remote gas, to higher molecular weight hydrocarbons, preferably, to more easily transportable liquid fuels, are desired and a number of such methods have been reported.

For example, G. E. Keller and M. M. Bhasin (J. Catal., 73, 1982, 9-19) have shown that methane can be converted to C₂ hydrocarbons in the presence of reducible metal oxide catalysts but that the yields of ethylene and ethane are low and amount to only from 10 to 50 percent of the reacted methane. To improve the selectivity for the production of the desired C₂ hydrocarbons and to suppress the undesirable further reaction of the C₂ hydrocarbons initially formed to carbon dioxide, Keller and Bhasin proposed a special reaction method generally involving a sequence of four steps;

1) charging the catalyst with oxygen by passing an oxygen-containing gas over the catalyst;

2) replacing the oxygen in the gas chamber of the catalytic reactor with an inert gas;

3) feeding methane over the catalyst, which partially produces the desired reaction; and

4) supplanting the residual methane and resulting product in the reactor with an inert gas before the sequence of steps is repeated.

In this process, depending on the catalyst used and the temperature selected, the selectivities for the production of C₂ hydrocarbons range from about 5% to about 45%, the selectivities for the production of CO₂ range from about 55% to 95%, and the conversions of methane range between 1% and 10%.

Keller and Bhasin arrived at the conclusion that oxidative coupling is only highly selective to higher hydrocarbons when the coupling reaction takes place in the absence of gas-phase oxygen and that the oxidative coupling of the hydrocarbons should be caused by reaction with the lattice oxygen of the metal oxide "catalyst", resulting in the reduction of the valence level of the metal oxide. [NOTE: The term "catalyst" as used herein does not have its standard meaning as while a relatively small amount of the specified material notably affects the rate of the chemical reaction, the material itself or at least a component thereof is consumed or undergoes a chemical reaction.] Thus, since the catalyst has only a predetermined amount of lattice oxygen available, only a limited quantity of hydrocarbon can be reacted for every measured unit of catalyst before the catalyst needs to be regenerated, e.g., with oxygen being taken up by lattice openings.

It is evident that the modus operandi in Keller and Bhasin is costly in terms of apparatus as well as simultaneously being linked with relatively smaller yields in space-time terms and high operating and investment costs. Moreover, according to the data of the authors, the attainable methane conversions and/or the resultant space-time yields are generally believed to be too small for commercial installations. Furthermore, the only products reported are C₂ hydrocarbons.

Subsequent to the publication of the findings of Keller and Bhasin, the efforts of a number of other researchers in the area of oxidative coupling have been reported, published and/or patented. For example, Jones et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,443,664-9 disclose methods for synthesizing hydrocarbons containing as many as 7 carbon atoms from a methane source which comprise contacting methane with a reducible oxide of antimony, germanium, bismuth, lead, indium or manganese. These patents also disclose that the reducible oxides can be supported by a conventional support material such as silica, alumina, titania and zirconia. The ranges of reaction temperatures disclosed in the aforesaid patents are from a lower limit of 500° C. to an upper limit of 800°-1000° C. In the disclosed processes (hereinafter referred to as a "redox" process or mode of operation), the reducible oxide is first reduced and then regenerated by oxidizing the reduced composition with molecular oxygen, either in a second zone or by alternating the flow of the feed gas, e.g., a methane-containing gas, with the flow of an oxygen-containing gas. The highest yield of hydrocarbon products reported was only about 2.1% of the methane feed, when a reducible oxide of manganese was employed.

Baerns, West German Patent Application No. 3,237,079.2, discloses a method for the production of ethane or ethylene by the reaction of methane and oxygen-containing gas at a temperature between 500° and 900° C., at an oxygen partial pressure of less than about 0.5 atmosphere at the reactor entrance, with a ratio of methane partial pressure to oxygen partial pressure greater than 1 at the reactor entrance and in the presence of a solid catalyst free of acidic properties. As disclosed, the method can be performed with or without recycle of remaining unreacted methane. The highest molecular weight product formed in the disclosed method is propane and the highest collective selectivity for the formation of ethane, ethylene and propane is only about 65% of methane converted.

Baerns discloses that oxides of metals of Groups III and VII of the Periodic Table are suitable for use as catalysts in the methods disclosed therein and that the oxides of lead, manganese, antimony, tin, bismuth, thallium, cadmium and indium are particularly preferred. Baerns further discloses that the metal oxides can be employed with or without a carrier and that specifically preferred carriers are alumina, silica, silica carbide and titania. Specific examples of carrier materials disclosed were formed from gamma-alumina having BET surface areas of 160-166 m² /gm, silica having a BET surface area of 290 m² /gm, bismuth oxide, alumina silicate and titania.

Ito et al., "Synthesis Of Ethylene and Ethane By Partial Oxidation of Methane Over Lithium-Doped Magnesium Oxide", Nature, Vol. 314, (Apr. 25, 1985) 721-722, discusses the use of lithium-doped magnesium oxide in the partial oxidation of methane to more useful chemicals such as higher molecular weight hydrocarbons including methanol, ethylene, and benzene. Therein, a yield of 19% for C₂ compounds with 50.3% selectivity at 37.8% conversion was reported and noted to be considerably better than the results reported in the literature for other metal oxides.

Ito et al., "Oxidative Dimerization Of Methane Over A Lithium-Promoted Magnesium Oxide Catalyst", J. Am. Chem. Soc., Vol. 107, (1985) 5062-5068, discusses the use of lithium-promoted magnesium oxide in the conversion of methane to higher molecular weight hydrocarbons such as ethane and ethylene, for example. Therein, C₂ compounds obtained with 50% selectivity at a 38% conversion of CH₄ over 4 grams of a catalyst having 7 wt. % lithium-promoted magnesium oxide at 720° C. were reported. It is noted that better selectivities for C₂ (ca. 70%) were achieved over catalysts promoted with 7% or more Li⁺. The article advances a model for the selective conversion of CH₄ wherein the major part of the activity results from the substitution of a monovalent cation into a divalent site and thus calls for the alkali metal ion to be substitutable for the alkaline earth ion.

International Publication WO 86/05176 broadly discloses a method for converting a feedstock alkane containing from one to three carbon atoms to higher molecular weight hydrocarbons. The method includes the steps of contacting the feedstock alkane with an oxygen-containing gas in a reactor in a presence of an oxidative coupling catalyst to produce a gaseous mixture including higher molecular weight saturated and unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon products followed by contacting the resulting gaseous mixture with an oligomerization catalyst. Oxidative coupling catalysts disclosed to be useful in the practice in the invention include silica having a surface area of less than about 175 m² /gm and reducible compounds of lead, antimony, germanium, vanadium, tin, bismuth, cadmium, indium, manganese, thallium or mixtures thereof.

The publication, 8th International Congress on Catalysis, in an article entitled, "Oxidative Dehydrogenation and Coupling of Methane", Hinsen et al., pp. 581-593 (July, 1984) describes a process for the oxidative coupling of methane utilizing a PbO supported catalyst. Various supports were tested, including: γ and α-Al₂ O₃, TiO₂, alumina silicate and silica gel. These support materials had very high surface areas, ranging, for example, from 110 m² /g for γ-Al₂ O₃ up to 245 m² /g for the SiO₂ gel with the catalyst typically being prepared by incipient wetness techniques whereby the pores in the support material are filled with liquid. The use of such high surface area materials in catalysts to be used for oxidative coupling is generally undesirable as the resulting high surface area catalysts typically have relatively high selectivity to "combustion products", such as CO and CO₂. In oxidative coupling, the formation of such combustion products is generally sought to be minimized as the formation of such carbon-containing combustion products is typically viewed as being at the expense of reduced production of desired higher molecular weight hydrocarbons.

Over the years various additional oxidative coupling catalyst, contact agent, contact solid or the like compositions; additives, promoters, or the like for addition thereto and processes for oxidative coupling have been tested, reported or disclosed with varying degrees of success. Typifying these materials are those found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,444,984; 4,533,780; 4,547,607; 4,554,395; 4,567,307; and 4,568,785.

More particularly, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,489,215; 4,495,374; 4,499,322; 4,499,323; 4,499,324; 4,450,310; 4,523,049; 4,656,155; 4,721,828; and 4,727,212; while disclosing processes utilizing compositions which include an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal or combinations thereof, require, as a key component, a reducible metal oxide and/or depend on the utilization of lattice oxygen.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,310 discloses a methane conversion process for the production of olefins and hydrogen wherein methane is contacted with a catalyst including the mixed oxides of a Group IA metal, a Group IIA metal and optionally a promoter metal, such as copper, rhenium, tungsten, zirconium, rhodium and mixtures thereof, in the absence of oxygen and water, to produce olefins and hydrogen. Thus, the contacting of methane with the catalyst material is done in the absence of oxygen.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,049 discloses a method for converting methane to higher hydrocarbon products wherein a methane-containing hydrocarbon gas and an oxygen-containing gas are contacted with a reducible metal oxide under synthesis conditions. The contact solids used therein are disclosed as using a promoting amount of alkali metal, alkaline earth metal and/or compounds thereof. Thus, this patent also requires the presence of a reducible metal oxide, which reducible metal oxide may require periodic reoxidation to maintain the usefulness or efficiency of the contact solid for the conversion of methane.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to overcome one or more of the problems described above.

According to the invention, a method for converting a feedstock alkane containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms to a higher molecular weight hydrocarbon includes the step of contacting the feedstock with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a specific catalytic composition to produce a gaseous mixture including saturated and unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon products having higher molecular weights than the feedstock alkane from which they were formed.

This specified catalytic composition is effective in the catalytic conversion of the feedstock alkane to a higher molecular weight hydrocarbon. The composition includes a first component comprising a Group IA metal and a second component comprising a Group IIA metal, with the combination of the Group IA and the Group IIA metals being selected to be stable at oxidative coupling reaction conditions and with the Group IA metal of the first component and the Group IIA metal of the second component being in an atomic ratio of about 0.5:1 to about 2:1. The composition also includes a third component, the precursor of which includes a sol with which the first and second components are thoroughly dispersed. This sol includes an aqueous suspension of aluminum, silicon, titanium, zinc, zirconium, cadmium or tin. The third component makes up about 1 wt. % to about 30 wt. % of the composition.

The contacting of the feedstock with the oxygen-containing gas in the presence of the specified catalytic composition generally occurs in a temperature in the range of from about 600° to about 1000° C. and with the ratio of the combined feedstock alkane partial pressure to the oxygen partial pressure being in the range of from about 2:1 to about 40:1.

As used throughout this specification, the terms "reducible" metal and "reducible" metal oxides refer to those compounds which are reduced upon contacting methane at higher molecular weight hydrocarbon synthesizing conditions and include: one or more metal oxides such as those described by the general formula M_(x) O_(y) where M is a metal, O is oxygen and the x and y subscripts designate the atomic proportions of the metal and oxygen; and one or more oxygen-metal compounds having the capability and utility of resulting in higher hydrocarbon production upon the reduction thereof.

The term "activity" as used herein relative to catalytic compositions refers to the degree to which the catalytic material increases the reaction rate, e.g., the rate at which the material causes reaction to proceed to equilibrium.

The term "selectivity" as used herein relative to catalytic compositions refers to the fraction of reactant that is converted to a particular product, with mole percent selectivity being the mole ratio of products to reactants multiplied by 100.

As used herein, the term "sol" generally refers to aqueous colloidal solvent solutions.

In addition, the terms oxidative coupling "catalytic composition", "catalyst", and "catalyst composition" or the like as used herein do not have their standard meaning as while a relatively small amount of the material may notably affect the rate of reaction, the material itself or at least a component thereof may be consumed or undergo a chemical reaction.

It is to be understood that references herein to a particular catalyst composition component or catalyst preparation material as "comprising", "having", "including", or the like a specific periodic table element or group of elements refers to that component or material, as the case may be, as including such element or group of elements in either a compound or an elemental form.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the appended claims and drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The Figure is a simplified schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

It should be understood that the drawing is a schematic illustration, and that in certain instances, details which are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention but which render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, a method for converting lower alkanes to higher molecular weight hydrocarbons is provided. The invention contemplates a method of alkane conversion generally applicable to alkanes containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms. It is to be understood, however, that while the method may also be utilized with higher alkane feedstocks, such use may, as a result of competing reaction kinetics, result in a reduction in the amount of higher molecular weight hydrocarbons formed thereby.

Referring to the Figure, a schematic of a system, generally designated 10, useful in the conversion of lower alkanes, i.e., lower molecular weight alkanes, e.g., methane, ethane and propane, to higher molecular weight hydrocarbons is shown. Methane, illustrative of a feedstock comprising at least one alkane containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms is mixed with air, as a source of oxygen, and the resulting mixture is introduced through line 12 into a reactor 14 wherein the methane and air mixture is contacted with a suitable catalytic composition, as described below, for the oxidative coupling of the aforesaid alkane. It is to be understood, however, that alternative sources or forms of oxygen-containing gas may be used or preferred in the practice of the invention. Thus, the oxygen-containing gas for use in the method of this invention can vary in molecular oxygen content from oxygen-depleted air to air to oxygen gas itself, for example. Air or enriched air may be a preferred source of molecular oxygen. The oxygen-containing gas should provide a gas-vapor effluent mixture from the oxidative coupling reactor containing (measured on a solid-free basis) from about 2 to about 8 volume percent of oxygen, in order to avoid the flammability limits in such mixtures.

The effluent 16 from the reactor 14 is a gaseous mixture comprising carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, any remaining unreacted feedstock alkane and oxygen, ethane and ethylene, illustrative of saturated and unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon products having higher molecular weights than the feedstock alkanes from they were formed, and may contain some traces of aromatics or higher hydrocarbons which may form in the reactor, such as at high operating temperatures, for example, at temperatures greater than about 750° C.

The effluent 16 from the oxidative coupling reactor 14 may illustratively be used as chemical feedstock or for subsequent conversion to gasoline-type products. For example, the effluent with desired or required pretreatment, e.g. H₂ O removal, and/or downstream treatment, e.g. N₂ removal, may be passed over a suitable aromatization/oligomerization catalyst to produce gasoline type products. Other specific uses of the reactor effluent will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

It should be understood that the Figure illustrates merely one preferred embodiment of the method of this invention and that the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiment illustrated in the Figure.

In the illustrated embodiment, methane and oxygen (as a part of air) are simultaneously contacted with the catalytic composition, commonly referred to as "cofeed" operation. Therefore, oxygen, which may be needed for the coupling reaction to occur, may be obtained directly from air, without the need for the oxygen to go through an intermediary such as may be required when oxygen is obtained from the lattice of an oxidative coupling catalyst composition. Further, cofeed operation may minimize or eliminate the need for subsequent regeneration of the catalytic material such as may be required to resupply lattice oxygen to catalytic materials such as those which typically contain reducible metal oxides as may occur when operated in a redox mode.

Generally, a suitable feedstock for the method of this invention comprises at least one of methane, ethane and propane and preferably comprises methane. Thus, a suitable feedstock for the method of this invention comprises natural gas, gases formed during mining operations and petroleum processes or in the above- or below-ground gasification or liquefaction of coal, tar sands, oil shale and biomass, for example.

The contacting of the feedstock with the oxygen-containing gas in the presence of the catalytic composition generally is performed at oxidative coupling reaction conditions including temperature and pressure. Preferably, such contacting is performed at a temperature in the range of from about 600° to about 1000° C. and, more preferably, in the range of from about 650° to about 850° C. These temperature ranges have been found to be preferred as operation at temperatures below about 600° C. may generally result in the catalytic compositions having relatively unfavorable selectivities while operation at higher temperatures, e.g., temperatures greater than about 900° C., may result in thermal reactions seriously competing with coupling reactions, with thermal reactions generally overwhelming coupling reactions at temperatures greater than about 1000° C. It is to be understood, however, that at higher reaction temperatures at least trace quantities of aromatics may also form.

Such contacting is preferably performed under a total absolute pressure in the range of from about 1 atmosphere to about 10 atmospheres, and more preferably in the range of from about 1 atmosphere to about 5 atmospheres. The ratio of the combined partial pressures of the feedstock alkanes containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms and the feedstock to oxygen partial pressure at the entrance of the reactor in the contacting step is preferably in the range of from about 2:1 to about 40:1 and, more preferably, in the range of from about 2:1 to about 10:1. The combined partial pressures of the alkanes in the feedstock containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms at the entrance to the reactor (the contacting reactor) is preferably no more than about 10 atmospheres, and, more preferably, no more than about 4 atmospheres. The oxygen partial pressure at the entrance to the reactor is preferably no more than about 4 atmospheres and, more preferably, no more than about 2 atmospheres. The oxygen partial pressure of the gaseous effluent from the reactor in the contacting step is preferably near 0 atmospheres.

The contacting step is preferably performed at a space velocity of from about 100 to about 20,000 volumes of total feed gas per volume of catalytic composition per hour and more preferably at a space velocity of about 800 to about 8000 volumes of total feed gas per volume of catalytic composition per hour.

The catalytic composition useful in the practice of the invention preferably contains a first component including a Group IA metal, such as lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium or cesium and, preferably, is a Group IA metal, such as lithium, sodium or potassium, for example, in an oxygen-including form, e.g., an oxide.

The catalytic composition also preferably contains a second component including a Group IIA metal, such as beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium and barium and, more preferably, is a Group IIA metal such as those aforementioned, in an oxygen-including form, e.g., an oxide. In the practice of the invention, the utility of all Group IA and Group IIA metal combinations is not, at this time, believed to be universal. For example, as shown in Examples 2 and 3, below, the combinations of lithium with barium and sodium with barium, with each such combination also having a preferred form of the third component of such catalytic compositions, result in materials that are considered unstable at oxidative coupling reaction conditions, e.g., at oxidative coupling reaction temperatures and pressures these materials tend to revert to a form of a molten syrup as opposed to a dry solid. The selection of specific combinations of Group IA and Group IIA metals for incorporation in the catalytic compositions for use in the practice of the invention can be determined empirically by one skilled in the art guided by the teachings set forth herein. Also, the Group IIA metal of the second component preferably has an ionic radius similar to that of the Group IA metal of the first component of the catalytic composition.

The ratio of the first and second components is believed important. Preferably, the catalytic composition includes the Group IA metal of the first component and the Group IIA metal component of the second component in an atomic ratio of about 0.5:1 to about 2:1 and, more preferably, about 0.8:1 to about 1.2:1 as compositions having ratios outside this range tended to have a larger degree of instability at oxidative coupling reaction conditions, with a ratio of about 1:1 being especially preferred.

The catalytic composition also preferably contains a third component which:

(a) increases the surface area of the catalytic composition,

(b) serves as a medium for the substantially uniform and even dispersion of the above-described first and second components on the molecular scale and

(c) increases the catalytic activity of the catalytic composition while maintaining its selectivity for the conversion of the feedstock alkane to hydrocarbon products having higher molecular weights than the feedstock alkane from which they were formed.

A precursor of the third component preferably includes, and more preferably is, an aqueous suspension of a metal such as aluminum, silicon, titanium, zinc, zirconium, cadmium and tin, for example, which, unlike conventional support materials, e.g. gamma alumina, silica or titania, on which the balance of the composition may form a type of surface coating, serves as a medium for the substantially uniform and even dispersion for the balance of the composition on a molecular scale. Preferably, such a precursor is a sol of at least one of the above-identified metals. More preferably, the third component of the catalytic composition is a silica or alumina sol, such as, PHF alumina sol, sold by American Cyanamid Co.

The effective use of such sols in the practice of the invention is generally believed to be independent of the aggregate size and concentration of the sol used provided that the balance of the composition is well dispersed, on a molecular scale, therewith. For example, it is to be generally understood that smaller volumes of a sol will be preferred when a more concentrated sol is used while a greater volume of sol will be preferred when a more dilute sol is used.

Preferably, the resulting catalytic composition will include at least about 1 weight percent to no more than about 30 weight percent and, more preferably, about 10 weight percent to about 20 weight percent of the third component, e.g., when the precursor of the third component is an alumina sol, the resulting catalytic composition will include at least about 1 weight percent to no more than 30 weight percent alumina expressed as Al₂ O₃ and, more preferably, about 10 weight percent to about 20 weight percent alumina expressed as Al₂ O₃.

Also, the catalytic compositions of the invention will typically have surface areas of less than about 25 m² /gram and generally in the range of about 1 m² /gram to about 25 m² /gram and preferably in the range of about 1 m² /gram to about 10 m² /gram.

As will be further shown by the examples, such catalytic compositions can be prepared by a method involving:

a) thoroughly dispersing in an aqueous medium a mixture including a first material (e.g., a precursor of the first component of the composition) including a Group IA metal, a second material (e.g., a precursor of the second component of the composition) including a Group IIA metal and a sol comprising an aqueous suspension of a metal such as aluminum, silicon, titanium, zinc, zirconium, cadmium or tin to form a slurry and

b) drying the slurry to evaporate substantially all of the water to leave behind a substantially dry solid material.

In such a method, the Group IA metal of the first material, the Group IIA metal of the second material and the metal of the sol are selected and in amounts and ratios to result in catalytic compositions effective in the conversion of a feedstock alkane containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms to a higher molecular weight hydrocarbon, as described above.

The following examples illustrate the practice of the invention. It is to be understood that all changes that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected and thus the invention is not to be construed as limited by these examples. Further, the compositions of the examples have been identified by a first component metal, a second component metal, a third component metal (with an indication if a sol precursor was used) or combinations thereof present in the particular composition being considered rather than the specific chemical state or form of the catalytic composition as various states or forms are believed possible and may be present as the preparations seek to come to equilibrium at various reaction conditions.

EXAMPLES Reactor System

Ultra high purity methane and synthetic air were delivered in quantities to result in the specified ratios of CH₄ /O₂ via Brooks Mass Flow Controllers and then mixed through a static mixer. The mixed feed was then delivered to the top of a fixed bed downflow tubular quartz reactor having a 14 mm inside diameter. A bed, 1-2 inches in length and containing the specified catalytic composition, was supported by a glass wool plug resting on concentric tube spacers in the lower part of the reactor. A 4 mm OD thermowell protruded through the center of the catalyst bed. Three thermocouples were inserted in the thermowell and positioned at the top, middle, and bottom of the catalyst bed. The reactor was heated in a split tube furnace. Effluent from the reactor was passed through a water trap, to a wet test meter for flow monitoring. Gas sampling was done via a gas tight syringe inserted into septa installed in the feed and effluent lines. Gas samples were injected into a gas chromatograph for analysis.

Experimental Procedure

The reactor containing the specified catalytic composition was purged in a flow of N₂ and brought up to about 400° C. Feed gas was then introduced. After a period of time sufficient to allow equilibration of the system, usually 10-20 minutes, a gas effluent sample was taken for analysis. The reactor was then heated to the next higher temperature, usually in 50°-100° C. intervals, allowed to equilibrate 10-20 minutes, and sampled again. The temperature ramping and gas sampling were continued on up to the maximum desired temperature, usually not higher than 850° C. Analyses of the reactor effluents were compared to the analysis of the feed gas composition and conversions and selectivities were calculated.

Calculation of Conversions and Selectivities

The feed gas composition, containing only methane, nitrogen, and oxygen, was normalized to 100 moles of methane. Since nitrogen was used as an internal standard and undergoes no reaction in the system, the effluent concentrations were multiplied by a factor such that the nitrogen amount was the same as in the normalized feed composition. Conversion of methane was then calculated by:

    methane conversion=(mole of methane in feed-moles of methane in effluent)×100.

The amounts of each of the products from the adjusted effluent concentrations were multiplied by the number of carbon atoms in the respective product. Summing these amounts then gave a second measure for methane conversion which could be compared to the first measure as an indication of mass balance. Typical mass balances for an equilibrated system at high conversions were in the region of 98-102% correspondence. Selectivities of each of the products were calculated by dividing the respective adjusted effluent concentrations (multiplied by the carbon number) by the sum of these amounts.

EXAMPLE 1--Li/Mg/Al(sol)

The following is a general description of the method of preparation of Li/Mg/Al(sol) catalytic compositions, according to the invention. In certain instances, the quantities of reagents used were adjusted to give desired Li/Mg or Li/Mg/Al ratios.

About 173 g of PHF alumina sol (10.7% solids) and 150 ml of distilled water were thoroughly mixed in a blender. About 20 g MgO and 18.9 g of LiOH.H₂ O in 200 ml H₂ O were added to the alumina solution and the mixture was blended until it became a thick, slurry-type of material. This slurry mixture was then dried overnight in a vacuum oven at about 100° C. The dried composition was then calcined for about 3 hours in a muffle furnace at about 750° C., and then crushed and screened to about 14-60 mesh. The dried, calcined material had a calculated elemental analysis of: 6.3 wt. % Li, 24.5 wt. % Mg and 18.8 wt. % Al (with weight percents as metals), with the balance of the composition being oxygen (as oxides or hydroxides, for example).

Data with respect to the evaluation of the compositions for the oxidative coupling of methane is presented in Tables I-XII. Unless otherwise indicated, the ratio of Li/Mg is to be taken as about 1.

EXAMPLE 2--Li/Ba/Al(sol)

In a blender, about 50 g of LiOH.H₂ O and 223 g of Ba(OH)₂.8H₂ O were mixed in 200 ml H₂ O. To the mixture was added about 50 ml H₂ O and 235 g PHF alumina (about 7.67 wt. % solvent) and blended thoroughly therewith. The mixture was then dried in a vacuum oven and crushed and screened to about 14-60 mesh. The dried, crushed, screened composition was then CO₂ treated at about 50 cc/min. for about 3 hours and then calcined at about 700° C. for about 2 hours. The dried, calcined material had a calculated elemental analysis of: 5.3 wt. % Li, 69.9 wt. % Ba and 11.6 wt. % Al (with weight percents as metals), with the balance of the composition being oxygen (as oxides or hydroxides, for example).

Note: The first attempt to run this composition without CO₂ treatment and calcination resulted in the preparation melting and shrinking to about one-third of its original size. A second portion of the preparation was CO₂ treated (no exotherm noted) and calcined but melted during the calcining procedure.

The Li/Ba/Al(sol) composition proved unstable at oxidative coupling reaction conditions and no data could be obtained.

EXAMPLE 3--Na/Ba/Al(sol)

About 473 g of NaOH and 223 g of Ba(OH)₂.8H₂ 0 were mixed with about 200 ml H₂ O in a blender. A mixture of about 235 g of PHF alumina sol (about 7.67 wt. % solids) and about 100 ml of H₂ O was added to the mixture and the blending was continued. The mixture was then dried in a vacuum oven, crushed and screened to about 14-60 mesh. The dried, crushed, screened composition was then CO₂ treated until exotherm was completed and then calcined at about 700° C. for about 2 hours. The dried, calcined material had a calculated elemental analysis of: 15.7 wt. % Na, 55.9 wt. % Ba and 5.2 wt. % Al (with weight percents as metals), with the balance of the composition being oxygen (as oxides or hydroxides, for example).

The Na/Ba/Al(sol) composition proved unstable at oxidative coupling reaction conditions and no data could be obtained.

EXAMPLE 4--K/Ba/Al(sol)

In a blender, about 234.7 g of PHF alumina (about 7.67 wt. % solid) and 222.8 g of BA(OH)₂.8H₂ O in 100 ml of H₂ O were mixed. To the mixture was added a solution of about 69.8 g of KOH in about 65 ml of H₂ O and blended thoroughly therewith. The mixture was then dried in a vacuum oven and crushed and screened to about 14-60 mesh. The dried, crushed, screened composition was then CO₂ treated at about 50 cc/min. for about 3 hours and then calcined at about 700° C. for about 2 hours. The dried, calcined material had a calculated elemental analysis of: 23.5 wt. % K, 49.5 wt. % Ba and 4.6 wt. % Al (with weight percents as metals), with the balance of the composition being oxygen (as oxides or hydroxides, for example).

Data with respect to the evaluation of this composition for the oxidative coupling of methane is presented in Table XIII.

EXAMPLE 5--Ca/Li/Al(sol)

About 181 g of PHF alumina sol (about 9.93 wt. % solids) was mixed in a blender with about 100 ml of distilled water. About 49.6 g of LiOH and 73 g of CaO were dissolved in a beaker with about 400 ml of distilled water. The resultant slurry was then added to the alumina sol solution in the blender and mixed thoroughly. The resultant preparation was dried overnight at about 100° C. in a vacuum oven. The dried composition was crushed and screened to about 14-60 mesh. The dried, calcined material had a calculated elemental analysis of: 6.9 wt. % Li, 43.7 wt. % Ca and 7.5 wt. % Al (with weight percents as metals), with the balance of the composition being oxygen (as oxides or hydroxides, for example).

Data with respect to the evaluation of this composition for the oxidative coupling of methane is presented in Table XIV.

EXAMPLE 6--Li/Mg/Si(sol)

About 11.8 g of NALCOAG silica (SiO₂) sol (34% SiO₂) was mixed with about 50 ml of water in a blender. A slurry of about 10.48 g of MgO and about 9.92 g of LiOH.H₂ O in about 80 ml of H₂ was added to the blender and thoroughly mixed. Subsequently, about 30 ml of a saturated solution of (NH₄)₂ CO₃ solution was added to the blender and blended in. The resultant slurry was dried in a vacuum oven and calcined for about 3 hours at about 750° C. The calcined material was crushed and screened to about 14-60 mesh. The dried, calcined material had a calculated elemental analysis of: 8.1 wt. % Li, 31.4 wt. % Mg and 9.3 wt. % Si (with weight percents as metals), with the balance of the composition being oxygen (as oxides or hydroxides, for example).

Data with respect to the evaluation of this composition for the oxidative coupling of methane is presented in Table XVI.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 1--Mg

A paste was prepared from about 50 g MgO powder (Baker 95.5 wt. % MgO) and 100 ml distilled H₂ O. The paste was then dried overnight in a vacuum oven at about 100° C. The dried material was then crushed and screened to about 14-60 mesh. The crushed and screened material was charged to the reactor and then calcined in situ at about 450° C. in air for about 11/2 hours.

Data with respect to the evaluation of this composition for the oxidative coupling of methane is presented in Table XVII.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 2--Li/Mg

About 19 g of LiOH.H₂ O was dissolved in about 90 ml of distilled H₂ O. About 20 g of MgO powder was added to the solution to make a thick slurry. The slurry was then dried overnight in a vacuum oven at about 100° C. The dried material was crushed and screened to about 14-60 mesh. The crushed and screened material was charged to the reactor and then calcined in situ at about 450° C. in air for about 11/2 hours. The dried, calcined material had a calculated elemental analysis of: 10.2 wt. % Li and 39.1 wt. % Mg (with weight percents as metals), with the balance of the composition being oxygen (as oxides or hydroxides, for example).

Data with respect to the evaluation of this composition for the oxidative coupling of methane is presented in Table XVIII.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 3--Li/Mg/Si

A composition preparation similar to that of Example 1, described above, was prepared except that Norton SiO₂ (Type 16843) was substituted for the PHF alumina sol in the preparation. The amount of SiO₂ used was adjusted to give about 15 wt. % SiO₂ in the dried, crushed, screened and calcined composition. The dried, calcined material had a calculated elemental analysis of: 8.6 wt. % Li, 33.3 wt. % Mg and 7.0 wt. % Si (with weight percents as metals), with the balance of the composition being oxygen (as oxides or hydroxides, for example).

Data with respect to the evaluation of this composition for the oxidative coupling of methane is presented in Table XIX.

DISCUSSION OF EXAMPLES

As shown in Table I, the catalytic composition identified as Li/Mg/Al(sol) had a selectivity to C₂₊ of greater than 84 mole percent in the temperature of 730°-780° C. Low feed CH₄ /O₂ mole ratios, e.g., CH₄ /O₂ mole ratios<2, were not conducive to oxidative coupling of methane but rather lead to the production of syngas, i.e., a mixture of H₂ and CO, as shown in Table II. Tables III and IV show that when the CH₄ /O₂ ratio was changed from 1.6/1 to about 21.5/1 and the space velocity was varied from 150 to 563 hr⁻¹, substantially complete conversion of O₂ was obtained in the temperature range of about 600°-650° C. and selectivities to C₂₊ as high as 78% were obtained. Note that the selectivity to CO is high at low temperature (approximately 500° C.), but decreases to about 0 at intermediate temperatures and then increases again at higher temperatures. Tables V-VIII show the effected temperatures, CH₄ /O₂ ratio and space velocity on selectivity to C₂₊ for this composition.

Tables IX and X illustrate the effect of varying the amount of alumina, expressed as Al₂ O₃, in the catalytic composition. Thus, while the incorporation of greater amounts of Al₂ O₃ in the catalytic composition resulted in a composition with increased catalytic activity, the selectivity of the composition to C₂₊ decreased significantly as the amount of Al₂ O₃ was increased. Thus, a composition with about 15 wt. % alumina expressed as Al₂ O₃ gave superior selectivity performance relative to a composition comprising 70 wt. % alumina expressed as Al₂ O₃.

Tables XI and XII illustrate that compositions with a Li/Mg ratio of about 1.2 were found to result in poorer selectivity performance, as compared to similar compositions but with a Li/Mg ratio of about 1, at similar conditions. These compositions also evidenced some catalytic composition instability.

Tables XIII and XIV present data for catalytic composition comprising different Group IA and/or Group IIA components. Table XIII presents data relative to the evaluation of the composition K/Ba/Al(sol). Table XIII shows that a maximum selectivity to C₂₊ of about 69.5 mole percent was obtained at a temperature of around 735° C. Table XIV shows that a selectivity to C₂₊ of greater than 94% was obtained for the composition Li/Ca/Al(sol) at a temperature of about 690° C. Thus, while the K/Ba/Al(sol) composition had a comparatively lower maximum selectivity to C₂₊ than the Li/Mg/Al(sol) of earlier tables with similar wt. % of alumina expressed as Al₂ O₃ at comparable conditions, the Li/Ca/Al(sol) composition had a comparatively higher maximum selectivity than the "base" Li/Mg/Al(sol) composition.

Tables XV and XVI present data relative to compositions wherein silica sol was used rather than alumina sol. The significance of using a third component which increases the surface area of the catalytic composition and serves as a medium for the substantially uniform and even dispersion of the other components of the composition on a molecular scale is illustrated when the selectivities obtained with compositions prepared with silica sol are compared with the results obtained with a similar composition but wherein standard silica solid, such as Norton SiO₂ (Type 16843), is used as shown in Table XIX. These results show that substantially higher selectivities to C₂₊ were obtained when the sol form was used as opposed to standard silica solid.

In addition, Tables XVII and XVIII present selectivity and conversion data for compositions comprising a Group IIA metal (Mg) but no Group IA metal or the specified third component and a combination of a Group IA metal and a Group IIA metal (Li/Mg) but no specified third component, respectively. In both instances, selectivities to C₂₊ significantly below the catalytic composition disclosed herein were obtained.

The foregoing detailed description is given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom, as modifications within the scope of the invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

                                      TABLE I                                      __________________________________________________________________________     Li/Mg/Al(sol) (30% alumina)                                                                 Run                                                                            42   43   44   45   47   48   49   50   51                        __________________________________________________________________________     Temp. .sup.- C. (avg.)                                                                      496  530  580  584  638  683  734  783  833                       SV (hr-1)    1215 1215 1215 1215 1215 1215 1215 1215 1215                      CH4/O2 mole ratio                                                                           20.4 20.4 20.4 20.9 20.9 20.9 20.9 20.9 20.9                      O2/CH4 mole ratio                                                                           .0490                                                                               .0490                                                                               .0490                                                                               .0479                                                                               .0479                                                                               .0479                                                                               .0479                                                                               .0479                                                                               .0479                     Conv. of Oxygen, mole %                                                                     9.0  22.6 65.6 69.8 97.0 99.3 99.3 99.4 99.4                      Conv. of CH4, mole % (1)                                                                    0.3  0.9  3.2  3.5  6.6  8.1  9.0  9.0  8.6                       Residence Time, sec.                                                                        .421 .403 .380 .378 .355 .339 .321 .307 .293                      Selectivity, mole %                                                            H2           --   --   49.3 46.2 17.8 --   --   --   17.4                      CO           47.8 44.6 27.7 25.3 5.9  1.3  0.9  0.7  5.6                       CO2          52.2 51.9 47.7 46.5 29.3 18.2 14.2 15.1 18.5                      C2H4         --   --   2.1  2.4  13.7 23.7 27.9 31.1 34.1                      C2H6         --   3.5  22.1 25.2 47.2 51.0 51.4 48.1 36.9                      C2H2         --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                        C3H8 & C3H6  --   --   0.4  0.5  3.9  5.2  4.8  4.2  3.9                       i-C4=        --   --   --   --   --   0.7  0.5  0.6  0.8                       i-C4         --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                        n-C4         --   --   --   --   --   --   0.3  0.3  0.2                       Unk (C4)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                        Unk (C5)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                        Unk (C6)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                        Sel. to C2.sup.+, mole %                                                                    0    3.5  24.6 28.1 64.8 80.6 84.9  84.3                                                                               75.9                      C2H4/C2H6    --   0    .097 .095 .290 .465 .542 .647 .919                      H2/CO        0    0    3.221                                                                               1.824                                                                               3.532                                                                               0    0    0    3.09                      CO/CO2       .913 .859 .580 .545 .252 .069 .065 .049 .304                      __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE II                                     __________________________________________________________________________     Li/Mg/Al(sol)(30% alumina)                                                                  Run                                                                            3   4   5   6   8   9   10  11  12                                __________________________________________________________________________     Temp. .sup.- C. (avg.)                                                                      422 471 528 614 618 671 706 762 813                               SV (hr-1)    161 161 161 161 161 161 161 161 161                               CH4/O2 mole ratio                                                                           1.60                                                                               1.60                                                                               1.60                                                                               1.60                                                                               1.52                                                                               1.52                                                                               1.52                                                                               1.52                                                                               1.52                              O2/CH4 mole ratio                                                                           0.626                                                                              0.626                                                                              0.626                                                                              0.626                                                                              0.657                                                                              0.657                                                                              0.657                                                                              0.657                                                                              0.657                             Conv. of Oxygen, mole %                                                                     3.0 11.3                                                                               45.6                                                                               96.2                                                                               95.9                                                                               99.4                                                                               99.4                                                                               99.4                                                                               99.4                              Conv. of CH4, mole % (1)                                                                    1.1 4.5 20.2                                                                               42.3                                                                               38.8                                                                               41.7                                                                               55.6                                                                               58.5                                                                               44.9                              Residence Time, sec.                                                                        3.52                                                                               3.28                                                                               3.05                                                                               2.76                                                                               2.74                                                                               2.59                                                                               2.50                                                                               2.36                                                                               2.25                              Selectivity, mole %                                                            H2           --  --  79.4                                                                               --  --  --  --  --  --                                CO           --  --  10.4                                                                               3.4 0   0.2 1.4 3.2 3.9                               CO2          100 100 88.9                                                                               82.9                                                                               84.0                                                                               71.3                                                                               76.3                                                                               80.5                                                                               84.7                              C2H4         --  --  --  6.6 7.9 16.2                                                                               13.3                                                                               11.0                                                                               7.9                               C2H6         --  --  0.7 6.6 7.5 11.3                                                                               8.2 5.0 3.3                               C2H2         --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --                                C3H8 & C3H6  --  --  --  0.5 0.6 1.1 0.8 0.3 0.2                               i-C4=        --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --                                i-C4         --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --                                n-C4         --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --                                Unk (C4)     --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --                                Unk (C5)     --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --                                Unk (C6)     --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --                                Sel. to C2.sup.+, mole %                                                                    0   0   0.7 13.7                                                                               16.0                                                                               28.6                                                                               22.3                                                                               16.3                                                                               11.4                              C2H4/C2H6    --  --  0   0.991                                                                              1.044                                                                              1.432                                                                              1.618                                                                              2.186                                                                              2.439                             H2/CO        --  --  7.614                                                                              0   0   0   0   0   0                                 CO/CO2       0   0   .117                                                                               .041                                                                               0   .003                                                                               .018                                                                               .039                                                                               .046                              __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE III                                    __________________________________________________________________________     Li/Mg/Al(sol) (30% alumina)                                                                 Run                                                                            14   15   16   17   18   19   20                                  __________________________________________________________________________     Temp. .sup.- C. (avg.)                                                                      502  501  553  601  655  670  766                                 SV (hr-1)    250  150  150  150  150  150  150                                 CH4/O2 mole ratio                                                                           21.5 21.5 21.5 21.5 21.5 21.5 21.5                                O2/CH4 mole ratio                                                                           0.0465                                                                              0.0465                                                                              0.0465                                                                              0.0465                                                                              0.0465                                                                              0.0465                                                                              0.0465                              Conv. of Oxygen, mole %                                                                     68.4 31.5 90.8 99.3 99.3 99.3 99.3                                Conv. of CH4, mole % (1)                                                                    0    0.8  2.5  3.8  5.8  6.7  6.4                                 Residence Time, sec.                                                                        3.38 3.38 3.17 3.00 2.82 2.78 2.52                                Selectivity, mole %                                                            H2           (4)  0    0    --   --   --   --                                  CO           (4)  22.9 1.06 --   --   --   2.9                                 CO2          (4)  77.1 76.6 51.9 27.9 28.7 43.3                                C2H4         (4)  --   1.1  8.9  21.9 26.4 28.4                                C2H6         (4)  --   11.7 37.4 45.0 40.4 20.3                                C2H2         (4)  --   --   --   --   --   --                                  C3H8 & C3H6  (4)  --   --    1.8 3.4  3.1  3.6                                 i-C4=        (4)  --   --   --   1.2  0.4  0.9                                 i-C4         (4)  --   --   --   --   --   --                                  n-C4         (4)  --   --   --   0.6  1.0  0.6                                 Unk (C4)     (4)  --   --   --   --   --   --                                  Unk (C5)     (4)  --   --   --   --   --   --                                  Unk (C6)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --                                  Sel. to C2.sup.+, mole %                                                                    (4)  0    1.28 48.1 72.1 71.3 53.8                                C2H4/C2H6    (4)  --   .094 .239 .487 .654 1.401                               H2/CO        (4)  0    0    0    --   --   0                                   CO/CO2       (4)  .297 1.39 0    0    0    .066                                __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE IV                                     __________________________________________________________________________     Li/Mg/Al(sol) (30% alumina)                                                                 Run                                                                            22   23   24   25   26   27   29   30   31                        __________________________________________________________________________     Temp. .sup.- C. (avg.)                                                                      536  569  614  672  714  766  549  605  661                       SV (hr-1)    298  298  298  298  298  298  563  563  563                       CH4/O2 mole ratio                                                                           21.3 21.3 21.3 21.3 21.3 21.3 21.3 21.3 21.3                      O2/CH4 mole ratio                                                                           .0471                                                                               .0471                                                                               .0471                                                                               .0471                                                                               .0471                                                                               .0471                                                                               .0469                                                                               .0469                                                                               .0469                     Conv. of Oxygen, mole %                                                                     43.7 82.7 99.3 99.3 99.3 99.3 43.5 93.1 99.3                      Conv. of CH4, mole % (1)                                                                    1.3  2.7  3.8  6.1  6.6  7.4  0.5  3.6  5.7                       Residence Time, sec.                                                                        1.63 1.57 1.49 1.40 1.34 1.27 0.850                                                                               1.796                                                                               .749                      Selectivity, mole %                                                            H2           --   38.5 --   --   --   --   193  --   --                        CO           28.9 15.7 0.1  --   --   1.3  76.8 6.5  --                        CO2          68.2 73.2 54.2 28.1 22.5 37.3 3.3  57.7 30.2                      C2H4         --   --   6.7  18.8 24.0 26.8 --   3.8  14.0                      C2H6         2.9  11.1 36.0 48.1 49.1 30.3 20.0 30.2 51.1                      C2H2         --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                        C3H8 & C3H6  --   --   1.4  3.5  3.3  2.6  --   0.8  3.4                       i-C4=        --   --   1.7  1.0  0.6  1.1  --   1.0  1.3                       i-C4         --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                        n-C4         --   --   --   0.6  0.6  0.6  --   --   --                        Unk (C4)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                        Unk (C5)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                        Unk (C6)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                        Sel. to C2.sup.+, mole %                                                                    2.9  11.1  45.8                                                                               72.0 77.6 61.4 20.0 35.8 69.8                      C2H4/C2H6    0    0    .186 .390 .489 .883 0    .127 .274                      H2/CO        0    2.456                                                                               0    0    0    0    3.127                                                                               0    0                         CO/CO2       .424 .214 .002 0    0    .035 23.67                                                                               .112 0                         __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE V                                      __________________________________________________________________________     Li/Mg/Al(sol) (30% alumina)                                                                 Run                                                                            33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40                             __________________________________________________________________________     Temp. .sup.- C. (avg.)                                                                      435  478  531  581  632  682  734  783                            SV (hr-1)    563  563  563  563  563  563  563  563                            CH4/O2 mole ratio                                                                           21.1 21.1 21.1 21.1 21.1 21.1 21.1 21.1                           O2/CH4 mole ratio                                                                           .0475                                                                               .0475                                                                               .0475                                                                               .0475                                                                               .0475                                                                               .0475                                                                               .0475                                                                               .0475                          Conv. of Oxygen, mole %                                                                     6.1  23.0 78.6 99.4 99.4 99.4 99.4 98.7                           Conv. of CH4, mole % (1)                                                                    0.2  0.9  3.4  4.8  6.3  7.8  8.7  8.2                            Residence Time, sec.                                                                        .988 .931 .0869                                                                               .819 .773 .732 .694 .662                           Selectivity, mole %                                                            H2           --   --   76.6 55.3 20.1 --   --   13.9                           CO           63.2 49.6 35.2 18.7 5.6  2.0  1.7  4.2                            CO2          36.8 50.4 62.7 54.9 34.6 23.6 19.6 21.6                           C2H4         --   --   --   3.2  13.7 22.8 28.8 32.6                           C2H6         --   --   2.1  22.5 42.4 47.1 44.6 36.6                           C2H2         --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                             C3H8 & C3H6  --   --   --   0.8  3.0  4.1  4.2  4.2                            i-C4=        --   --   --   --   0.6  0.3  0.4  0.5                            i-C4         --   --   --   --   --   --   0.3  --                             n-C4         --   --   --   --   --   --   0.4  0.2                            Unk (C4)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                             Unk (C5)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                             Unk (C6)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                             Sel. to C2.sup.+, mole %                                                                    0    0    2.1  26.5 59.7 74.3 78.7 74.1                           C2H4/C2H6    --   --   0    .140 .303 .485 .485 .890                           H2/CO        0    0    2.177                                                                               2.962                                                                               3.610                                                                               0    0    3.293                          CO/CO2       1.727                                                                               .986 .562 .340 .161 .085 .087 .195                           __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE VI                                     __________________________________________________________________________     Li/Mg/Al(sol) (30% alumina)                                                                 Run                                                                            53   54   55   57   58   59   60   61   63   64                   __________________________________________________________________________     Temp. .sup.- C. (avg.)                                                                      507  585  636  647  684  733  784  833  463  578                  SV (hr-1)    2318 2318 2318 2318 2318 2318 2318 2318 2175 2175                 CH4/O2 mole ratio                                                                           20.6 20.6 20.6 20.5 20.5 20.5 20.5 20.5 12.6 12.6                 O2/CH4 mole ratio                                                                           .0486                                                                               .0486                                                                               .0486                                                                               .0487                                                                               .0487                                                                               .0487                                                                               .0487                                                                               .0487                                                                               0.791                                                                               0.791                Conv. of Oxygen, mole %                                                                     5.0  35.6 78.6 86.2 97.2 99.4 99.4 99.4 3.3  17.2                 Conv. of CH4, mole % (1)                                                                    --   1.7  5.0  5.9  8.1  9.1  9.4  9.4  0    1.2                  Residence Time, sec.                                                                        .218 .198 .187 .184 .177 .169 .160 .153 .246 .213                 Selectivity, mole %                                                            H2           (4)  39.7 30.1 17.1 --   --   11.6 9.7  (4)  --                   CO           (4)  33.9 13.1 7.4  1.7  0.4  1.6  3.3  (4)  40.5                 CO2          (4)  47.8 34.3 27.9 18.5 13.8 13.8 14.3 (4)  51.3                 C2H4         (4)  --   7.4  11.2 20.2 26.7 29.3 33.5 (4)  --                   C2H6         (4)  18.2 43.1 50.0 53.5 53.5 50.0 43.9 (4)  8.2                  C2H2         (4)  --   --   --   --   --   --   --   (4)  --                   C3H8 & C3H6  (4)  --   2.2  3.4  5.2  4.8  3.9  3.6  (4)  --                   i-C4=        (4)  --   --   --   0.5  0.8  1.2  1.3  (4)  --                   i-C4         (4)  --   --   --   0.4  --   0.1  --   (4)  --                   n-C4         (4)  --   --   --   --   --   0.2  0.2  (4)  --                   Unk (C4)     (4)  --   --   --   --   --   --   --   (4)  --                   Unk (C5)     (4)  --   --   --   --   --   --   --   (4)  --                   Unk (C6)     (4)  --   --   --   --   --   --   --   (4)  --                   Sel. to C2.sup.+, mole %                                                                    (4)  18.2 52.7 64.6 79.8 85.8 84.7 82.5 (4)  8.2                  C2H4/C2H6    (4)  0    .171 .224 .378 .498 .584 .763 (4)  0                    H2/CO        (4)  1.170                                                                               2.301                                                                               2.311                                                                               0    0    7.024                                                                               2.956                                                                               (4)  0                    CO/CO2       (4)  .710 .381 .265 .094 .029 .119 .231 (4)  .790                 __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE VII                                    __________________________________________________________________________     Li/Mg/Al(sol) (30% alumina)                                                                 Run                                                                            65   66   67   68   70   71   73   74   75   76                   __________________________________________________________________________     Temp. .sup.- C. (avg.)                                                                      633  682  731  785  788  832  491  592  654  706                  SV (hr-1)    2175 2175 2175 2175 2175 2175 4275 4275 4275 4275                 CH4/O2 mole ratio                                                                           12.6 12.6 12.6 12.6 12.6 12.6 12.7 12.7 12.7 12.7                 O2/CH4 mole ratio                                                                           .0791                                                                               .0791                                                                               .0791                                                                               .0791                                                                               .0794                                                                               .0794                                                                               .0784                                                                               .0784                                                                               .0784                                                                               .0784                Conv. of Oxygen, mole %                                                                     57.0 91.4 99.2 99.5 99.5 99.6 0.9  13.3 52.2 93.6                 Conv. of CH4, mole % (1)                                                                    5.0  10.0 11.9 12.8 13.1 12.8 0    1.0  4.8  11.5                 Residence Time, sec.                                                                        .200 .189 .180 .171 .170 .164 .120 .106 .099 .094                 Selectivity, mole %                                                            H2           44.7 10.0 --   10.1 11.0 14.1 (4)  --   33.5 --                   CO           19.2 4.1  1.7  2.4  2.5  4.2  (4)  40.9 17.3 1.7                  CO2          43.0 27.8 21.4 19.1 18.5 19.5 (4)  49.7 39.2 20.6                 C2H4         5.1  17.8 28.0 32.5 31.8 35.7 (4)  --   5.1  22.5                 C2H6         31.6 44.3 43.3 41.2 40.1 36.1 (4)  9.3  35.9 48.8                 C2H2         --   --   --   --   --   --   (4)  --   --   --                   C3H8 & C3H6  1.1  4.5  4.5  3.9  3.8  3.8  (4)  --   1.3  5.2                  i-C4=        --   1.1  0.9  0.5  2.4  0.3  (4)  --   1.3  0.8                  i-C4         --   0.3  0.3  0.1  0.4  0.4  (4)  --   --   0.4                  n-C4         --   --   --   0.3  0.4  0.4  (4)  --   --   --                   Unk (C4)     --   --   --   --   --   --   (4)  --   --   --                   Unk (C5)     --   --   --   --   --   --   (4)  --   --   --                   Unk (C6)     --   --   --   --   --   --   (4)  --   --   --                   Sel. to C2.sup.+, mole %                                                                    37.8 68.0 77.0 78.5 78.9 76.4 (4)   9.3 43.6 77.7                 C2H4/C2H6    .162 .403 .646 .789 .794 .988 (4)  0    .142 .462                 H2/CO        2.328                                                                               2.418                                                                               0    4.167                                                                               4.361                                                                               3.452                                                                               (4)  0    1.937                                                                               0                    CO/CO2       .446 .148 .080 .127 .136 .214 (4)  .822 .441 082                  __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE VIII                                   __________________________________________________________________________     Li/Mg/Al(sol) (30% alumina)                                                    Run          77   78   79   81   82   83   84   85   86   87                   __________________________________________________________________________     Temp. .sup.˜ C. (avg.)                                                                749  797  846  520  582  632  688  737  784  833                  SV (hr-1)    4275 4275 4275 1286 1286 1286 1286 1286 1286 1286                 CH4/O2 mole ratio                                                                           12.7 12.7 12.7 6.63 6.63 6.63 6.63 6.63 6.63 6.63                 O2/CH4 mole ratio                                                                           .0784                                                                               .0784                                                                               .0784                                                                               .0784                                                                               .1510                                                                               .1510                                                                               .1510                                                                               .1510                                                                               .1510                                                                               .1510                Conv. of Oxygen, mole %                                                                     99.0 99.5 99.5 1.7  9.4  28.3 75.0 96.5 99.5 99.5                 Conv. of CH4, mole % (1)                                                                    12.5 12.8 13.4 0.1  0.9  3.6  11.3 15.9 17.2 18.9                 Residence Time, sec.                                                                        .090 .086 .082 .386 .358 .338 .318 .303 .289 .276                 Selectivity, mole %                                                            H2           --   8.1  13.1 --   --   51.9 35.8 --   11.6 15.4                 CO           1.5  --   3.8  18.0 33.9 29.0 12.1 2.5  3.1  6.3                  CO2          19.3 18.5 17.6 82.0 66.1 55.5 46.5 35.5 32.8 29.8                 C2H4         28.1 32.5 35.4 --   --   1.5  10.5 22.7 28.7 32.8                 C2H6         45.9 44.0 37.5 --   --   14.0 28.2 34.4 30.7 26.4                 C2H2         --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                   C3H8 & C3H6  4.3  3.9  3.6  --   --   --   2.0  4.0  3.1  3.0                  i-C4═    0.5  0.8  1.6  --   --   --   0.7  0.6  1.3  1.2                  l-C4         0.3  0.1  0.1  --   --   --   --   0.4  --   --                   n-C4         0.2  0.3  0.4  --   --   --   --   --   0.3  0.5                  Unk (C4)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                   Unk (C5)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                   Unk (C6)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                   Sel. to C2+, mole %                                                                         79.3 81.6 78.6 0    0    15.5 41.4 62.1 64.1 63.9                 C2H4/C2H6    .613 .738 .943 --   --   .108 .372 .659 .936 1.244                H2/CO        0    1/B2/                                                                               3.460                                                                               0    0    1.788                                                                               2.952                                                                               0    3.758                                                                               2.438                CO/CO2       .078 0    .216 .214 .512 .524 .261 .071 .094 .211                 __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE IX                                     __________________________________________________________________________     Li/Mg/Al(sol) (70% alumina)                                                    Run          2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9                              __________________________________________________________________________     Temp. .sup.˜ C. (avg.)                                                                510  554  611  657  707  748  796  845                            SV (hr-1)    1230 1230 1230 1230 1230 1230 1230 1230                           CH4/O2 mole ratio                                                                           20.2 20.2 20.2 20.2 20.2 20.2 20.2 20.2                           O2/CH4 mole ratio                                                                           .0496                                                                               .0496                                                                               .0496                                                                               .0496                                                                               .0496                                                                               .0496                                                                               .0496                                                                               .0496                          Conv. of Oxygen, mole %                                                                     11.7 38.4 95.0 99.5 99.4 99.1 99.5 99.5                           Conv. of CH4, mole % (1)                                                                    0.5  1.6  4.0  4.5  5.1  5.9  6.5  7.0                            Residence Time, sec.                                                                        .408 .386 .362 .344 .326 .313 .299 .286                           Selectivity, mole %                                                            H2           --   48.4 98.5 81.0 36.6 34.6 31.6 46.9                           CO           49.8 41.2 34.3 27.0 18.5 12.6 10.8 17.3                           CO2          50.2 58.8 62.0 57.9 48.2 38.4 31.7 29.2                           C2H4         --   --   --   1.2  8.7  16.6 24.7 29.7                           C2H6         --   --   3.8  12.3 24.0 30.5 30.2 19.7                           C2H2         --   --   --   --   --   --    --  --                             C3H8 & C3H6  --   --   --   0.2  0.6  1.1  1.6  2.1                            i-C4═    --   --   --   --   --   0.8  1.0  2.0                            l-C4         --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                             n-C4         --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                             Unk (C4)     --   --   --   1.4  --   --   --   --                             Unk (C5)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                             Unk (C6)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                             Sel. to C2+, mole %                                                                         0    0    3.8  15.1 33.3 49.0 57.5 53.5                           C2H4/C2H6    --   --   0    .102 .361 .545 .817 1.509                          __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE X                                      __________________________________________________________________________     Li/Mg/Al(sol) (15% alumina)                                                    Run          2    3    4    5    8    9    10                                  __________________________________________________________________________     Temp. .sup.˜ C. (avg.)                                                                493  599  645  684  693  741  788                                 SV (hr-1)    1230 1230 1230 1230 1230 1230 1230                                CH4/O2 mole ratio                                                                           20.6 20.6 20.6 20.6 20.5 20.5 20.5                                O2/CH4 mole ratio                                                                           .0486                                                                               .0486                                                                               .0486                                                                               .0486                                                                               .0489                                                                               .0489                                                                               .0489                               Conv. of Oxygen, mole %                                                                     43.8 98.4 99.1 99.0 99.1 99.0 99.2                                Conv. of CH4, mole % (1)                                                                    .01  4.4  6.9  8.2  8.8  9.0  8.7                                 Residence Time, sec.                                                                        .418 .367 .348 .334 .331 .315 .301                                Selectivity, mole %                                                            H2           --   62.2 --   --   --   --   --                                  CO           --   17.9 2.6  .006 .05  0.5  0.6                                 CO2          --   36.5 24.3 17.2 14.4 13.5 16.5                                C2H4         --   5.3  16.4 23.5 26.0 29.9 34.2                                C2H6         100  36.2 50.4 53.2 52.9 49.3 41.8                                C2H2         --   --   --   --   --   --   --                                  C3H8 & C3H6  --   1.8  4.3  5.3  5.6  4.9  4.5                                 i-C4═    --   2.3  2.0  0.8  1.1  1.5  1.8                                 l-C4         --   --   --   --   --   0.2  0.2                                 n-C4         --   --   --   --   --   0.5  0.4                                 Unk (C4)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --                                  Unk (C5)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --                                  Unk (C6)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --                                  Sel. to C2+, mole %                                                                         100  45.6 73.1 82.8 85.6 86.1 82.9                                C2H4/C2H6    0    .147 .326 .441 .492 .606 .820                                __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE XI                                     __________________________________________________________________________     Li/Mg/Al(sol) (15% alumina) (Li/Mg = 1.2)                                      Run          3    4    5    6    7    8    10   11   12   13                   __________________________________________________________________________     Temp. .sup.˜ C. (avg.)                                                                505  610  609  609  669  708  722  710  759  810                  SV (hr-1)    1230 1230 1230 1230 1230 1230 1230 1230 1230 1230                 CH4/O2 mole ratio                                                                           20.4 20.4 20.4 20.4 20.4 20.4 19.6 19.6 19.6 19.6                 O2/CH4 mole ratio                                                                           .0490                                                                               .0490                                                                               .0490                                                                               .0490                                                                               .0490                                                                               .0490                                                                               .0511                                                                               .0511                                                                               .0511                                                                               .0511                Conv. of Oxygen, mole %                                                                     22.7 94.8 92.9 92.1 99.2 99.4 99.3 98.8 99.3 99.4                 Conv. of CH4, mole % (1)                                                                    0.1  3.1  5.1  5.3  7.6  8.9  9.2  8.9  9.3  9.8                  Residence Time, sec.                                                                        .411 .362 .362 .362 .339 .326 .321 .325 .310 .295                 Selectivity, mole %                                                            H2           446  90.5 48.2 46.0 --   --   --   --   --   --                   CO           100  13.3 14.1 13.8 0.25 --   --   0.5  0.25 0.9                  CO2          --   1.4  35.1 36.8 16.3 14.8  14.5                                                                               14.3 17.0 27.6                 C2H4         --   11.6 6.7  6.7  21.7 26.3 28.3 26.2 32.8 34.2                 C2H6         --   69.4 41.6 40.3 54.9 51.8 50.8 52.3 44.4 31.1                 C2H2         --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                   C3H8 & C3H6  --   4.3  2.4  2.5  5.9  5.5  5.4  5.8  4.6  4.3                  i-C4═    --   --   --   --   0.7  0.9  0.7  0.5  .4   1.1                  l-C4         --   --   --   --   0.2  0.6  0.3  0.5  .4   0.3                  n-C4         --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   .3   0.5                  Unk (C4)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                   Unk (C5)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                   Unk (C6)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                   Sel. to C2+, mole %                                                                         --   85.3 50.7 49.5 83.4 85.2 85.5 85.2 82.8 71.5                 C2H4/C2H6    --   .166 .161 .166 .395 .508 .558 .500 .738 1.097                H2/CO        8.559                                                                               6.824                                                                               3.411                                                                               3.327                                                                               0    0    0    0    0    0                    CO/CO2       1/B2/                                                                               9.229                                                                               0.402                                                                               .375 .015 0    0    .037 .015 .033                 __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE XII                                    __________________________________________________________________________     Li/Mg/Al(sol) (15% alumina) (Li/Mg = 1.2)                                      Run          24   25   26   27   28   29   30                                  __________________________________________________________________________     Temp. .sup.˜ C. (avg.)                                                                505  591  658  698  756  811  857                                 SV (hr-1)    1230 1230 1230 1230 1230 1230 1230                                CH4/O2 mole ratio                                                                           10.6 10.6 10.6 10.6 10.6 10.6 10.6                                O2/CH4 mole ratio                                                                           .0946                                                                               .0946                                                                               .0946                                                                               .0946                                                                               .0946                                                                               .0946                                                                               .0946                               Conv. of Oxygen, mole %                                                                     6.2  9.7  22.6 32.8 69.3 96.6 99.5                                Conv. of CH4, mole % (1)                                                                    0    0.3  2.4  4.5  10.7 13.1 13.6                                Residence Time, sec.                                                                        .411 .370 .343 .329 .311 .295 .283                                Selectivity, mole %                                                            H2           (4)  --   --   --   --   5.8  17.4                                CO           (4)  --   5.2  4.0  2.5  1.7  5.2                                 CO2          (4)  --   15.5 22.3 26.2 20.7 29.6                                C2H4         (4)  --   11.1 16.7 28.6 43.6 41.4                                C2H6         (4)  100  66.6 55.0 37.2 26.6 17.3                                C2H2         (4)  --   --   --   --   --   --                                  C3H8 & C3H6  (4)  --   1.8  2.1  3.9  5.3  5.2                                 i-C4═    (4)  --   --   --   1.0  0.6  0.4                                 l-C4         (4)  --   --   --   0.7  0.9  0.2                                 n-C4         (4)  --   --   --   --   0.6  0.7                                 Unk (C4)     (4)  --   --   --   --   --   --                                  Unk (C5)     (4)  --   --   --   --   --   --                                  Unk (C6)     (4)  --   --   --   --   --   --                                  Sel. to C2+, mole %                                                                         (4)  100.0                                                                               79.5 73.8 71.3 77.6 65.2                                C2H4/C2H6    (4)  0    .166 .305 .769 1.640                                                                               2.394                               H2/CO        (4)  --   0    0    0    3.342                                                                               3.313                               CO/CO2       (4)  --   .333 .178 .097 .178 --                                  __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE XIII                                   __________________________________________________________________________     K/Ba/Al(sol)                                                                   Run          2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9                              __________________________________________________________________________     Temp. .sup.˜ C. (avg.)                                                                504.0                                                                               586.5                                                                               625.5                                                                               684.0                                                                               736.0                                                                               791.0                                                                               834.0                                                                               877.0                          SV (hr-1)    1624 1624 1624 1624 1624 1624 1624 1624                           CH4/O2 mole ratio                                                                           10.062                                                                              10.062                                                                              10.062                                                                              10.062                                                                              10.062                                                                              10.062                                                                              10.062                                                                              10.062                         O2/CH4 mole ratio                                                                           .099 .099 .099 .099 .099 .099 .099 .099                           O2 Conv., mole %                                                                            1.48 2.53 5.78 14.90                                                                               36.19                                                                               99.13                                                                               99.42                                                                               99.37                          Conv. of CH4, mole % (2)                                                                    .41  .03  .20  1.35 4.53 10.30                                                                               9.83 9.45                           Conv. of CH4, mole % (1)                                                                    .01  .33  .36  1.65 4.93 11.31                                                                               10.87                                                                               11.40                          Residence Time, sec.                                                                        .306 .277 .265 .249 .236 .224 .215 .207                           Selectivity, mole %                                                            H2           4125.0                                                                              78.08                                                                               105.87                                                                              41.73                                                                               20.16                                                                               5.98 13.52                                                                               61.87                          CO           0    21.78                                                                               15.70                                                                               14.29                                                                               4.93 .64  3.23 29.43                          CO2          100.00                                                                              23.76                                                                               49.33                                                                               35.22                                                                               25.56                                                                               34.62                                                                               38.11                                                                               39.21                          C2H4         0    0    0    7.14 21.18                                                                               30.13                                                                               33.02                                                                               23.89                          C2H6         0    54.46                                                                               26.91                                                                               43.06                                                                               44.30                                                                               29.09                                                                               19.90                                                                               4.50                           C2H2         0    0    0    0    0    .05  .19  .28                            C3's         0    0    8.07 .30  3.77 3.82 3.80 2.41                           i-C4═    0    0    0    0    0    .37  .44  0                              l-C4         0    0    0    0    .26  .27  .11  0                              n-C4         0    0    0    0    0    0    0    .28                            Unk 1        0    0    0    0    0    1.00 1.22 0                              Unk 2        0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0                              Sel. to C2   0    54.45                                                                               34.98                                                                               50.50                                                                               69.51                                                                               64.74                                                                               58.67                                                                               31.36                          C2H4/C2H6    0    0    0    .17  .48  1.04 1.66 5.31                           H2/CO        0    3.58 6.74 2.92 4.09 9.30 4.19 2.10                           CO/CO2       0    .92  .32  .41  .19  .02  .08  .75                            __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE XIV                                    __________________________________________________________________________     Li/Ca/Al(sol) (1//2/12.4% alumina)                                             Run          2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10                        __________________________________________________________________________     Temp. .sup.˜ C. (avg.)                                                                514  559  598  643  689  724  772  831  680                       SV (hr.sup.-1)                                                                              1215 1215 1215 1215 1215 1215 1215 1215 1215                      CH4/O2 mole ratio                                                                           10.88                                                                               10.88                                                                               10.88                                                                               10.88                                                                               10.88                                                                               10.88                                                                               10.88                                                                               10.88                                                                               10.88                     O2/CH4 mole ratio                                                                           .0919                                                                               .0919                                                                               .0919                                                                               .0919                                                                               .0919                                                                               .0919                                                                               .0919                                                                               .0919                                                                               .0919                     Conv. of Oxygen, mole %                                                                     41.8 36.5 56.8 46.2 62.1 81.4 96.8 98.8 41.6                      Conv. of CH4, mole % (1)                                                                    0.3  0.6  1.5  2.3  6.2  13.5 16.4 17.5 5.6                       Conv. of CH4, mole % (2)                                                                    13.0 4.2  6.4  5.8  9.5  13.0 14.3 14.2 7.8                       Residence Time, sec.                                                                        .411 .389 .371 .353 .337 .325 .310 .293 .340                      Selectivity, mole %                                                            H2           1542 572  317  109.3                                                                               39.7 23.9 6.2  5.1  13.1                      CO           59.0 76.2 28.9 12.4 2.5  1.3  1.0  1.3  1.9                       CO2          --   3.2  4.0  2.3  2.8  28.6 35.8 46.9 7.1                       C2H4         --   --   7.3  12.6 27.7 27.6 30.9 28.6 24.6                      C2H6         41.0 20.6 55.3 70.3 61.7 36.2 26.7 18.7 62.0                      C2H2         --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                        C3H8 & C3H6  --   --   0.8  1.5  4.7  4.7  4.3  3.8  3.9                       i-C4=        --   --   3.6  1.0  0.2  0.6  0.3  0.2  --                        l-C4         --   --   --   --   0.4  0.9  0.7  0.2  0.5                       n-C4         --   --   --   --   --   --   0.4  0.4  --                        Unk (C4)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                        Unk (C5)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                        Unk (C6)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                        Sel. to C2+, mole %                                                                         41.0 20.6 67.0 85.4 94.7 70.0 63.3 51.9 91.0                      C2H4/C2H6    0    0    .132 .179 .450 .764 1.448                                                                               1.531                                                                               0.397                     H2/CO        26.71                                                                               7.490                                                                               10.97                                                                               8.829                                                                               15.67                                                                               18.18                                                                               6.453                                                                               4.018                                                                               7.013                     CO/CO2       1/B2/                                                                               23.93                                                                               7.182                                                                               5.378                                                                               .920 .046 .027 .027 .261                      __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE XV                                     __________________________________________________________________________     Li/Mg/Si(sol)                                                                  __________________________________________________________________________     Run          3    4    5    7    8    9    10   12   13   14                   __________________________________________________________________________     Temp. .sup.˜ C. (avg.)                                                                500.0                                                                               612.0                                                                               649.0                                                                               748.0                                                                               749.0                                                                               700.0                                                                               824.0                                                                               794.0                                                                               793.0                                                                               795.0                SV (hr.sup.-1)                                                                              1687 1687 1687 1687 1687 1687 1687 1687 1687 1687                 CH4/O2 mole ratio                                                                           10.960                                                                              10.960                                                                              10.960                                                                              10.960                                                                              10.960                                                                              10.960                                                                              10.960                                                                              10.856                                                                              10.856                                                                              10.856               O2/CH4 mole ratio                                                                           .091 .091 .091 .091 .091 .091 .091 .092 .092 .092                 Conv. of Oxygen, mole %                                                                     -.01 14.44                                                                               26.50                                                                               94.46                                                                               95.65                                                                               61.03                                                                               99.00                                                                               99.62                                                                               99.11                                                                               99.13                Conv. of CH4, mole % (1)                                                                    .32  1.59 3.44 14.29                                                                               14.02                                                                               8.86 15.21                                                                               14.98                                                                               14.96                                                                               14.92                Conv. of CH4, mole % (2)                                                                    .03  1.75 3.54 13.82                                                                               13.90                                                                               9.29 15.04                                                                               15.42                                                                               15.08                                                                               14.90                Residence Time, sec.                                                                        .300 .262 .251 .227 .227 .238 .211 .217 .217 .217                 Selectivity, mole %                                                            H2           458.89                                                                              79.93                                                                               57.89                                                                               20.86                                                                               20.68                                                                               29.56                                                                               18.29                                                                               16.58                                                                               18.27                                                                               18.49                CO           0    28.27                                                                               18.40                                                                               4.05 4.00 7.49 2.86 2.47 2.75 2.75                 CO2          100.0                                                                               38.22                                                                               28.40                                                                               19.48                                                                               19.43                                                                               20.60                                                                               17.18                                                                               16.72                                                                               17.63                                                                               17.75                C2H4         0    1.83 7.69 35.38                                                                               35.45                                                                               22.86                                                                               41.90                                                                               37.87                                                                               39.74                                                                               40.58                C2H6         0    31.68                                                                               44.36                                                                               34.96                                                                               34.90                                                                               43.32                                                                               30.36                                                                               32.54                                                                               31.54                                                                               31.96                C2H2         0    0    0    .12  .09  0    .25  .11  .24  .23                  C3's         0    0    1.15 4.59 4.76 3.26 4.98 4.59 4.71 4.85                 i-C4=        0    0    0    0    0    0    .28  2.39 .50  .20                  l-C4         0    0    0    .60  .61  1.42 .51  1.02 .89  .18                  n-C4         0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0                    Unk 1        0    0    0    .82  .76  1.06 1.69 2.29 2.00 1.50                 Unk 2        0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0                    Sel. to C2, mole %                                                                          0    33.51                                                                               53.20                                                                               76.48                                                                               76.57                                                                               71.92                                                                               79.97                                                                               80.81                                                                               79.62                                                                               74.49                C2H4/C2H6    0    .06  .17  1.01 1.02 .53  1.38 1.16 1.26 1.27                 H2/CO        0    2.83 3.15 5.15 5.17 3.95 6.41 6.72 6.64 6.73                 CO/CO2       0    .74  .65  .21  .21  .36  .17  .15  .16  .16                  __________________________________________________________________________              Run          15   16   19   20   21   22   23    24                   __________________________________________________________________________              Temp. .sup.˜ C. (avg.)                                                                796.0                                                                               801.0                                                                               800.0                                                                               800.0                                                                               800.0                                                                               801.0                                                                               801.0 801.0                         SV (hr.sup.-1)                                                                              1687 1687 1690 1690 1690 1690 1690  1690                          CH4/O2 mole ratio                                                                           10.856                                                                              10.856                                                                              10.799                                                                              10.799                                                                              10.798                                                                              10.798                                                                              10.798                                                                               10.798                        O2/CH4 mole ratio                                                                           .092 .092 .093 .093 .093 .093 .093  .093                          Conv. of Oxygen, mole %                                                                     99.45                                                                               99.26                                                                               99.05                                                                               99.31                                                                               98.06                                                                               99.16                                                                               -264.3                                                                               99.70                         Conv. of CH4, mole % (1)                                                                    14.89                                                                               14.92                                                                               15.07                                                                               14.99                                                                               14.85                                                                               14.59                                                                               13.85 14.29                         Conv. of CH4, mole % (2)                                                                    15.46                                                                               14.90                                                                               14.96                                                                               15.04                                                                               15.11                                                                               14.97                                                                               15.38 15.28                         Residence Time, sec.                                                                        .217 .216 .215 .215 .215 .215 .215  .215                          Selectivity, mole %                                                            H2           17.85                                                                               18.50                                                                               18.47                                                                               18.45                                                                               18.37                                                                               18.79                                                                               18.21 18.40                         CO           2.67 2.72 2.82 2.77 2.81 2.86 2.87  2.79                          CO2          17.09                                                                               17.62                                                                               17.59                                                                               17.54                                                                               17.48                                                                               17.65                                                                               17.35 17.37                         C2H4         38.97                                                                               40.75                                                                               40.46                                                                               40.39                                                                               40.14                                                                               40.53                                                                               39.87 39.95                         C2H6         30.96                                                                               32.02                                                                               31.57                                                                               31.46                                                                               31.47                                                                               32.04                                                                               31.49 31.62                         C2H2         .23  .24  0    .23  .20  .19  .25   .21                           C3's         4.55 4.78 4.74 4.67 4.53 4.74 4.65  4.75                          i-C4=        1.15 0    .57  0    .52  .30  .16   .88                           l-C4         1.41 .39  .86  .59  .72  .22  1.23  .65                           n-C4         0    0    1.39 0    0    0    0     0                             Unk 1        2.97 1.47 0    2.08 2.14 1.47 2.12  1.77                          Unk 2        0    0    0    0    0    0    0     0                             Sel. to C2, mole %                                                                          80.24                                                                               79.66                                                                               79.59                                                                               79.69                                                                               79.71                                                                               79.49                                                                               79.78 79.83                         C2H4/C2H6    1.26 1.27 1.28 1.28 1.28 1.27 1.27  1.26                          H2/CO        6.68 6.80 6.56 6.66 6.53 6.57 6.34  6.58                          CO/CO2       .16  .15  .16  .16  .16  .16  .17   .16                  __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE XVI                                    __________________________________________________________________________     Li/Mg/Si(sol) (15% SiO2)                                                       Run          13   14   16   17   18   20   21   22   23   24                   __________________________________________________________________________     Temp. .sup.˜ C. (avg.)                                                                886  933  530  633  695  707  750  798  849  890                  SV (hr-1)    1249 1249 2471 2471 2471 2471 2471 2471 2471 2471                 CH4/O2 mole ratio                                                                           19.7 19.7 20.5 20.5 20.5 19.9 19.9 19.9 19.9 19.9                 O2/CH4 mole ratio                                                                           .0507                                                                               .0507                                                                               .0488                                                                               .0488                                                                               .0488                                                                               .0504                                                                               .0504                                                                               .0504                                                                               .0504                                                                               .0504                Conv. of Oxygen, mole %                                                                     99.5 99.5 3.8  30.0 75.3 84.3 98.9 99.5 99.5 99.5                 Conv. of CH4, mole % (1)                                                                    8.8  8.0  .06  1.4  5.6  6.6  8.6  9.4  9.6  9.4                  Residence Time, sec.                                                                        .272 .261 .198 .176 .164 .162 .156 .149 .142 .137                 Selectivity, mole %                                                            H2           30.7 86.1 --   --   18.3 12.5 10.2 9.1  12.2 22.6                 CO           8.9  29.5 100  3.12 7.9  6.1  3.4  2.8  3.4  6.4                  CO2          17.1 18.6 --   14.3 23.6 22.0 18.3 14.5 13.1 14.0                 C2H4         49.6 39.5 --   3.8  16.5 18.9 29.1 33.6 41.0 47.2                 C2H6         17.1 65.0 --   50.7 49.2 48.4 44.5 44.0 37.5 26.2                 C2H2         --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                   C3H8 & C3H6  5.8  4.5  --   --   2.9  3.3  3.8  3.8  4.2  4.9                  i-C4=        1.1  1.2  --   --   --   1.1  0.2  0.8  0.4  0.9                  l-C4         --   --   --   --   --   --   0.4  0.2  --   --                   n-C4         0.5  0.2  --   --   --   0.2  0.2  0.4  0.4  0.5                  Unk (C4)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                   Unk (C5)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                   Unk (C6)     --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --                   Sel. to C2+, mole %                                                                         74.1 51.9 0    54.5 68.6 71.9 78.2 82.8 83.5 79.7                 C2H4/C2H6    2.890                                                                               6.042                                                                               --   .076 .335 .391 .653 .763 1.095                                                                               1.803                H2/CO        3.451                                                                               2.915                                                                               0    0    2.324                                                                               2.038                                                                               2.961                                                                               3.264                                                                               3.639                                                                               3.531                CO/CO2       0.521                                                                               1.588                                                                               1/B2/                                                                               2.189                                                                               .335 .278 .187 .193 .256 .456                 __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE XIX                                    __________________________________________________________________________     Li/Mg/Si                                                                       __________________________________________________________________________     Run          4   5    6   7   8   9   11                                       __________________________________________________________________________     Temp. .sup.˜ C. (avg.)                                                                405 476  524 565 613 658 726                                      SV (hr-1)    160 160  160 160 160 160 160                                      CH4/O2 mole ratio                                                                           1.530                                                                              1.53 1.53                                                                               1.53                                                                               1.53                                                                               1.53                                                                               1.56                                     O2/CH4 mole ratio                                                                           .654                                                                               .654 .654                                                                               .654                                                                               .654                                                                               .654                                                                               .641                                     Conv. of Oxygen, mole %                                                                     4.5 8.2  22.8                                                                               11.0                                                                               10.3                                                                               24.9                                                                               71.8                                     Conv. of CH4, mole % (1)                                                                    2.6 3.9  11.3                                                                               5.5 5.7 13.8                                                                               33.7                                     Conv. of CH4, mole % (2)                                                                    2.2 4.7  12.1                                                                               6.3 6.8 14.4                                                                               32.8                                     Residence Time, sec.                                                                        3.93                                                                               3.56 3.35                                                                               3.18                                                                               3.01                                                                               2.87                                                                               2.67                                     Selectivity, mole %                                                            H2           29.1                                                                               74.3 47.5                                                                               82.4                                                                               76.4                                                                               48.7                                                                               29.4                                     CO           35.8                                                                               48.5 48.6                                                                               60.4                                                                               64.6                                                                               64.2                                                                               66.5                                     CO2          64.2                                                                               51.5 51.4                                                                               39.6                                                                               28.6                                                                               17.4                                                                               17.8                                     C2H4         --  --   --  --  --  11.0                                                                               12.3                                     C2H6         --  --   --  --  6.8 7.0 2.5                                      C2H2         --  --   --  --  --  --  --                                       C3H8 & C3H6  --  --   --  --  --  0.4 1.0                                      i-C4=        --  --   --  --  --  --  --                                       l-C4         --  --   --  --  --  --  --                                       n-C4         --  --   --  --  --  --  --                                       Unk (C4)     --  --   --  --  --  --  --                                       Unk (C5)     --  --   --  --  --  --  --                                       Unk (C6)     --  --   --  --  --  --  --                                       Sel. to C2+, mole %                                                                         0   0    0   0   6.8 18.4                                                                               15.8                                     C2H4/C2H6    --  --   --  --  0   1.571                                                                              5.00                                     H2/CO Ratio  0.813                                                                              1.534                                                                               .977                                                                               1.820                                                                              1.184                                                                              .759                                                                               .426                                     __________________________________________________________________________     Run          12  13   14  15  16  17  28                                       __________________________________________________________________________     Temp. .sup.˜ C. (avg.)                                                                767 822  873 921 969 1024                                                                               1064                                     SV (hr-1)    160 160  160 160 160 160 160                                      CH4/O2 mole ratio                                                                           1.56                                                                               1.56 1.56                                                                               1.56                                                                               1.56                                                                               1.56                                                                               1.56                                     O2/CH4 mole ratio                                                                           .641                                                                               .641 .641                                                                               .641                                                                               .641                                                                               .641                                                                               .641                                     Conv. of Oxygen, mole %                                                                     98.6                                                                               99.3 99.0                                                                               98.8                                                                               99.2                                                                               99.2                                                                               99.2                                     Conv. of CH4, mole % (1)                                                                    42.9                                                                               46.9 49.7                                                                               51.3                                                                               53.5                                                                               58.4                                                                               64.9                                     Conv. of CH4, mole % (2)                                                                    43.1                                                                               46.5 50.1                                                                               53.4                                                                               56.6                                                                               63.9                                                                               72.8                                     Residence Time, sec.                                                                        2.57                                                                               2.44 2.33                                                                               2.23                                                                               2.15                                                                               2.06                                                                               2.00                                     Selectivity, mole %                                                            H2           20.4                                                                               43.3 71.8                                                                               78.1                                                                               90.9                                                                               112.8                                                                              134.0                                    CO           63.0                                                                               66.1 68.7                                                                               73.9                                                                               75.4                                                                               77.2                                                                               80.6                                     CO2          24.1                                                                               24.5 26.6                                                                               23.9                                                                               23.5                                                                               22.4                                                                               19.4                                     C2H4         9.9 8.3  4.4 2.2 1.1 0.4 --                                       C2H6         2.5 0.9  0.3 --  --  --  --                                       C2H2         --  --   --  --  --  --  --                                       C3H8 & C3H6  0.5 0.2  --  --  --  --  --                                       i-C4=        --  --   --  --  --  --  --                                       l-C4         --  --   --  --  --  --  --                                       n-C4         --  --   --  --  --  --  --                                       Unk (C4)     --  --   --  --  --  --  --                                       Unk (C5)     --  --   --  --  --  --  --                                       Unk (C6)     --  --   --  --  --  --  --                                       Sel. to C2+, mole %                                                                         12.9                                                                               9.4  4.7 2.2 1.1 0.4 0                                        C2H4/C2H6    3.983                                                                              8.957                                                                               12.67                                                                              1/B2/   1/B2/                                                                              1/B2/                                    H2/CO Ratio  .324                                                                               .655 .986                                                                               1.057                                                                              1.194                                                                              1.461                                                                              1.663                                    __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE XIX                                    __________________________________________________________________________     Mg                                                                             Run          5  6  7  8  9  10 12 13 14 15 16                                  __________________________________________________________________________     Temp. .sup.˜ C. (avg.)                                                                458                                                                               543                                                                               611                                                                               664                                                                               718                                                                               755                                                                               759                                                                               803                                                                               845                                                                               868                                                                               645                                 SV (hr-1)    1733                                                                              1733                                                                              1733                                                                              1733                                                                              1733                                                                              1733                                                                              1733                                                                              1733                                                                              1733                                                                              1733                                                                              1733                                CH4/O2 mole ratio                                                                           17.5                                                                              17.5                                                                              17.5                                                                              17.5                                                                              17.5                                                                              17.5                                                                              17.2                                                                              17.2                                                                              17.2                                                                              17.2                                                                              17.2                                Conv. of Oxygen, mole %                                                                     4.2                                                                               32.7                                                                              69.7                                                                              99.1                                                                              99.3                                                                              99.3                                                                              99.3                                                                              99.3                                                                              99.3                                                                              99.3                                                                              60.0                                Conv. of CH4, mole %                                                                        0.2                                                                               1.4                                                                               3.1                                                                               4.2                                                                               4.6                                                                               5.3                                                                               5.5                                                                               5.7                                                                               5.4                                                                               6.1                                                                               2.5                                 Residence Time, sec.                                                                        0.316                                                                             .278                                                                              .257                                                                              .242                                                                              .229                                                                              .221                                                                              .220                                                                              .211                                                                              .203                                                                              .199                                                                              --                                  Selectivity, mole %                                                            H2           -- -- -- -- 38.8                                                                              33.6                                                                              35.2                                                                              40.5                                                                              74.1                                                                              114.2                                                                             95.4                                CO           60 40 38.6                                                                              23.7                                                                              10.5                                                                              8.3                                                                               9.2                                                                               11.2                                                                              30.2                                                                              49.5                                                                              44.2                                CO2          40 60 59.9                                                                              61.4                                                                              53.0                                                                              43.4                                                                              42.6                                                                              40.0                                                                              39.1                                                                              30.5                                                                              49.7                                C2H4         -- -- -- 1.7                                                                               6.8                                                                               12.0                                                                              12.6                                                                              15.6                                                                              13.1                                                                              9.5                                                                               --                                  C2H6         -- -- 1.6                                                                               13.2                                                                              29.2                                                                              35.6                                                                              34.9                                                                              32.4                                                                              17.2                                                                              10.1                                                                              6.1                                 C2H2         -- -- -- -- -- -- 0.1                                                                               -- -- -- --                                  C3H8 & C3H6  -- -- -- -- 0.5                                                                               0.8                                                                               0.5                                                                               0.8                                                                               0.4                                                                               0.4                                                                               --                                  i-C4=        -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --                                  l-C4         -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --                                  n-C4         -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --                                  Unk (C4)     -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --                                  Unk (C5)     -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --                                  Unk (C6)     -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --                                  Sel. to C2+, mole %                                                                         0  0  1.6                                                                               14.9                                                                              36.5                                                                              48.4                                                                              48.1                                                                              48.8                                                                              30.7                                                                              20.0                                                                              6.1                                 C2H4/C2H6    -- -- 0  .126                                                                              .217                                                                              .336                                                                              .361                                                                              .482                                                                              .762                                                                              .901                                                                              0                                   H2/CO        -- -- -- -- 3.68                                                                              4.03                                                                              3.81                                                                              3.61                                                                              2.45                                                                              2.31                                                                              2.159                               __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE XIX                                    __________________________________________________________________________     Li/Mg                                                                          Run          3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10                                    __________________________________________________________________________     Temp. .sup.˜ C. (avg.)                                                                532 574 627 676 723 778 821 849                                   SV (hr-1)    154 154 154 154 154 154 154 154                                   CH4/O2 mole ratio                                                                           12.5                                                                               12.5                                                                               12.5                                                                               12.5                                                                               12.5                                                                               12.5                                                                               12.5                                                                               12.5                                  Conv. of Oxygen, mole %                                                                     1.6 3.8 13.7                                                                               33.2                                                                               71.0                                                                               97.0                                                                               98.8                                                                               99.1                                  Conv. of CH4, Mole % (1)                                                                    0.1 .3  1.6 3.8 7.3 9.6 9.5 11.3                                  Conv. of CH4, mole % (2)                                                                    0.3 0.6 1.7 3.5 7.7 8.3 8.3 9.1                                   Residence Time, sec.                                                                        3.46                                                                               3.28                                                                               3.09                                                                               2.93                                                                               2.80                                                                               2.65                                                                               2.53                                                                               2.48                                  Selectivity, mole %                                                            H2           292 128.9                                                                              52.3                                                                               32.0                                                                               24.0                                                                               47.9                                                                               73.8                                                                               74.9                                  CO           21.2                                                                               2.3 8.8 8.9 7.7 14.6                                                                               26.5                                                                               38.5                                  CO2          9.4 28.2                                                                               20.9                                                                               20.2                                                                               32.1                                                                               37.0                                                                               35.5                                                                               36.4                                  C2H4         --  --  14.5                                                                               25.3                                                                               30.2                                                                               31.3                                                                               28.6                                                                               20.3                                  C2H6         69.4                                                                               69.5                                                                               54.1                                                                               41.8                                                                               24.4                                                                               12.0                                                                               5.4 2.3                                   C3H8 & C3H6  --  --  1.6 3.2 4.3 3.8 3.4 2.2                                   i-C4=        --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --                                    l-C4         --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --                                    n-C4         --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --                                    Unk (C4)     --  --  --  0.6 1.4 1.3 0.7 0.4                                   Unk (C5)     --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --                                    Unk (C6)     --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --                                    Sel. to C2+, mole %                                                                         69.4                                                                               69.5                                                                               70.2                                                                               70.9                                                                               60.3                                                                               48.4                                                                               38.1                                                                               25.2                                  C2H4/C2H6    0   0   .269                                                                               .604                                                                               1.234                                                                              1.602                                                                              5.306                                                                              8.978                                 __________________________________________________________________________      (1) CH4 conversion calculated from carbon in products                          (2) CH4 conversion calculated from CH4 in minus CH4 out                        (4) Conversion too low for accurate measurement                           

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for converting a feedstock alkane containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms to a higher molecular weight hydrocarbon, said method comprising:the step of contacting a feedstock comprising at least one alkane containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a catalytic composition, at a temperature in the range of from about 600° C. to about 1000° C. and with the ratio of the combined feedstock alkane partial pressure to the oxygen partial pressure being in the range of from about 2:1 to about 40:1, to produce a gaseous mixture comprising saturated and unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon products having higher molecular weights than the feedstock alkane from which they were formed, said catalytic composition being effective in the catalytic conversion of said feedstock alkane to a higher molecular weight hydrocarbon, said composition comprising a first component comprising a Group IA metal and a second component comprising a Group IIA metal with said Group IA metal of said first component and said Group IIA metal of said second component being in an atomic ratio of about 0.5:1 to about 2:1 and with said composition combination of said Group IA and said Group IIA metals being selected to be stable at oxidative coupling reaction conditions, and said composition also comprising a third component, the precursor of which comprises a sol with which said first and second components are thoroughly dispersed, said sol comprising an aqueous suspension of a compound of a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, silicon, titanium, zinc, zirconium, cadmium and tin, said third component comprising about 1 wt. % to about 30 wt. % of said catalytic composition.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said sol comprises alumina.
 3. The method of claim 2 wherein said catalytic composition comprises about 10 wt. % to about 20 wt. % alumina expressed as Al₂ O₃.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said catalytic composition comprises said Group IA metal of said first component and said Group IIA metal of said second component in an atomic ratio of about 0.8:1 to about 1.2:1.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein said catalytic composition is substantially free of a reducible metal oxide.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein said Group IA and Group IIA metals have similar ionic radii.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein said Group IA metal comprises lithium and said Group IIA metal is selected from the group consisting of magnesium and calcium.
 8. The method of claim 1 wherein said Group IA metal comprises sodium and said Group IIA metal is selected from the group consisting of calcium and strontium.
 9. The method of claim 1 wherein said Group IA metal comprises potassium and said Group IIA metal is selected from the group consisting of calcium, strontium and barium.
 10. The method of claim 1 wherein said contacting step is performed at a temperature in the range of from about 650° to about 850° C.
 11. The method of claim 1 wherein the ratio of the combined feedstock alkane partial pressure to the oxygen partial pressure is in the range of from about 2:1 to about 10:1.
 12. The method of claim 1 wherein said contacting step is performed at a space velocity of from about 100 to about 20,000 volumes of total feed gas per volume of catalytic composition per hour.
 13. A method for converting a feedstock alkane containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms to a higher molecular weight hydrocarbon, said method comprising:contacting a feedstock comprising at least one alkane containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a catalytic composition substantially free of a reducible metal oxide, at a temperature in the range of from about 600° C. to about 1000° C. and with the ratio of the combined feedstock alkane partial pressure to the oxygen partial pressure being in the range of from about 2:1 to about 40:1, to produce a gaseous mixture comprising saturated and unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon products having higher molecular weights than the feedstock alkane from which they were formed, said catalytic composition being effective in the catalytic conversion of said feedstock alkane to a higher molecular weight hydrocarbon, said composition comprising a first component comprising a Group IA metal and a second component comprising a Group IIA metal having an ionic radius similar to said Group IA metal of said first component with said Group IA metal of said first component and said Group IIA metal of said second component being in an atomic ratio of about 0.5:1 to about 2:1 with said composition combination of said Group IA and said Group IIA metals being selected to be stable at oxidative coupling reaction conditions, with said composition having a substantial absence of a combination of said Group IA and said Group IIA metals selected from the group consisting of sodium and barium, lithium and barium and combinations thereof, said composition also comprising a third component, the precursor of which comprises an aqueous suspension of aluminum, said third component comprising about 1 wt. % to about 30 wt. % of said catalytic composition.
 14. The method of claim 13 wherein said catalytic composition comprises about 10 wt. % to about 20 wt. % alumina expressed as Al₂ O₂.
 15. The method of claim 13 wherein said catalytic composition comprises said Group IA metal of said first component and said Group IIA metal of said second component in an atomic ratio of about 0.8:1 to about 1.2:1.
 16. The method of claim 13 wherein said Group IA metal comprises lithium and said Group IIA metal is selected from the group consisting of magnesium and calcium.
 17. The method of claim 13 wherein said Group IA metal comprises sodium and said Group IIA metal is selected from the group consisting of calcium and strontium.
 18. The method of claim 13 wherein said Group IA metal comprises potassium and said Group IIA metal is selected from the group consisting of calcium, strontium and barium.
 19. The method of claim 13 wherein said contacting step is performed at a temperature in the range of from about 650° to about 850° C. and at a space velocity of from about 100 to about 20,000 volumes total feed gas per volume of catalytic composition per hour and wherein the ratio of combined feedstock alkane partial pressure to the oxygen partial pressure is in the range of from about 2:1 to about 10:1.
 20. A method for converting methane to a higher molecular weight hydrocarbon, said method comprising: contacting methane with an oxygen-containing gas selected from the group consisting of air, oxygen-enriched air and oxygen in the presence of a catalytic composition substantially free of a reducible metal oxide, at a temperature in the range of from about 600° to about 1000° C. and with the ratio of the methane partial pressure to the oxygen partial pressure being in the range of from about 2:1 to about 40:1, to produce a gaseous mixture comprising saturated and unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon products having higher molecular weights than methane, wherein said catalytic composition comprises a first component comprising a Group IA metal and a second component comprising a Group IIA metal having an ionic radius similar to said Group IA metal of said first component with said Group IA metal and said Group IIA metal being in an atomic ratio of about 0.8:1 to about 1.2:1 with said composition combination of said Group IA and said Group IIA metals being selected to be stable at oxidative coupling reaction conditions, with said composition having a substantial absence of a combination of said Group IA and said Group IIA metals selected from the group consisting of lithium and barium, sodium and barium and combinations thereof, said compositions also comprising a third component, the precursor of which comprises alumina sol with which said first and second components are thoroughly dispersed.
 21. The method of claim 20 wherein said catalytic composition comprises about 15 wt. % alumina expressed as Al₂ O₃.
 22. The method of claim 20 wherein said catalytic composition comprises said Group IA metal of said first component and said Group IIA metal of said second component in an atomic ratio of about 1:1.
 23. The method of claim 20 wherein said Group IA metal comprises lithium and said Group IIA metal is selected from the group consisting of magnesium and calcium.
 24. The method of claim 20 wherein said Group IA metal comprises sodium and said Group IIA metal is selected from the group consisting of calcium and strontium.
 25. The method of claim 20 wherein said Group IA metal comprises potassium and said Group IIA metal is selected from the group consisting of calcium, strontium and barium.
 26. The method of claim 20 wherein said contacting step is performed at a temperature in the range of from about 650° to about 850° C. and at a space velocity of from about 100 to about 20,000 volumes total feed gas per volume of catalytic composition per hour and wherein the ratio of combined feedstock alkane partial pressure to the oxygen partial pressure is in the range of from about 2:1 to about 10:1. 